Does it make solid business sense to invest in and integrate VoIP?


The final decision should be based on a careful evaluation of 'why' and 'when', which directly relate to time, business development, enhanced communication and cost saving.



It is only in the last six or seven months that VoIP has become stable and easy to implement. Previously, VoIP existed alongside an alternative standard, namely voice over Frame (VoF)


Due to the input of the companies developing VoF, the technology emerged quickly as a more stable alternative to VoIP.


Today the scenario is different. Whilst there are companies that have adopted VoF solutions and continue to be successful, the reality is that fewer vendors now support VoF, and this has raised the cost of the technology, which has made it unpractical.


There are far more vendors now responding to a demand for VoIP solution integration in the market. There are more requests for information, and businesses are using this detail for quotations and justifications for implementation.

Follow up:

Companies have to consider the cost of the capital equipment required for VoIP and weigh this up against the saving that would be gained from implementation.


The cost comparison is, at best, a loose guide. It does not present an accurate reflection of the complete picture - in most cases, the capital cost often exceeds potential savings in the short term. However, in the long term the situation changes considerably.


Let us look at the case of a small-to-medium company governed by a tight budget. A five-minute conversation over a voice line, with very little detail in between, could be extended to 15 or 20 minutes. This is a luxury that has not been available to the local market, and is a direct benefit for businesses that rely on telecommunication for trade.


The decision-maker must ask a few questions as part of the evaluation process, these include ? 'how will this technology or infrastructure improve my communication?' or 'how much more information will I be able to disseminate?' and 'how regularly will I be able to call?'


It is also important to calculate business advantage over a short-term period which is really anything from the immediate up to three years.


There are two ways to look at VoIP. The first is its impact on an internal infrastructure, which is likely to incorporate branch-to-branch communication, and the second involves breaking away from this structure and moving onto the normal analogue line. The equipment is different because the PABXs used are more advanced and have a host of other features available. Although this option is more complex in calculation and generally more expensive, it will result in a cost saving.


Generally within networking, we tend to look at IP within a local environment (head office and branches) and the cost saving is immediate. All products are suited to specific environments, it just depends on how far a company wants to invest.


The cost of implementation is often negligible compared to the current IT infrastructure. Depending on how far a business wants to go, it could mean VoIP routing capability of cost-effective products. This could be up to R3000 per router, per site or absolutely nothing when considering products like Skype.


Companies that are experts in that field normally have systems that can be used to determine cost saving in today’s rates. It is important to keep in mind that as these implementations take place, the telecommunication service providers are compelled to review their own costing structures. Over a period of time, these two pricing structures will be level.


Inhibiting factors that affect the adoption of VoIP normally occur when the decision is made to break outside of the IP environment and go onto the analogue line. This requires specific expertise and can represent a challenge.


To what extent is VoIP being adopted locally? This is difficult to measure because companies are often not even aware of the fact that VoIP is being used. It is often a decision made at department level, in conjunction with IT, and without the knowledge of senior management.


However, there is no disputing the level of development within this space. As long as the market requires telecommunication to conduct business, there is every reason to believe the technology will be around for some time.


Source: MyBroadband